Nozzle head



Dem 1952 I H. s. RUEKBERG NOZZLE HEAD Filed Oct. 20, 1950 Hseazer =5? 60065526 (Ittorneg Patented Dec. 16. 1952 UNITED-STATES PATENT OFFICE NOZZLE HEAD Herbert S. Ruekberg, Highland Park, 111.

Application October 20, 1950, Serial No. 191,255

3 Claims.

This invention relates in general to a lowpressure one piece spray nozzle for dispensing liquids from a flexible container and more specifically to a type thereof where a moving air column produced inside the container by applying external pressure against the outside walls of the container, is utilized to force the liquid through an orifice in the nozzle. I

In dispensing a liquid in a finely divided spray from a closed container, where the liquid in the container is under a relatively low pressure, it has been necessary to atomize the liquid from the container by the use of an independent supply of air, usually by means of a flexible rubber bulb member, such as used in the conventional atomizer. In order to dispense a liquid from a closed container in a finely divided spray without the use of such an outside atomizer, it has been necessary to keep the liquid in the container under a relatively high pressure, or to use a highly volatile fluid in the container mixed with the liquid to be dispensed.

Thus, the advantage of having a nozzle which may be utilized to dispense liquid from a closed container in a finely divided spray under low pressure wherein the outside atomizing bulb is eliminated can readily be seen.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of this invention to provide a one piece nozzle for dispensing liquids under low pressure from a closed flexible container in a finely dividedspray.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a nozzle for dispensing liquids from a closed flexible container under a low pressure, wherein, pressure exerted upon the outside walls of the container is utilized to force the liquid through an orifice in the nozzle.

Another object of this invention is to provide a one-piece nozzle made of any suitable material, such as vinyl resin in this particular embodiment, to carry out the aforesaid objects.

Another object of this invention is to provide a nozzle, as aforesaid, utilizing the air disposed within the container to atomize and expel the liquid therefrom.

A further object of this invention is to provide a nozzle, as aforesaid, which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and readily adapted to use with containers fabricated from a flexible and resilient material, such as vinyl resin or a similar plastic.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent to those familiar with this type of device by reading the following description and examiningthe accompanying drawing.

In the drawing: Figure l is a cross-sectional view of my spray nozzle and a container in which it is mounted.

Figure 2 is an enlarged View in cross-section of I the spray nozzle substantially as shown in Fig ure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along the line IIL-III of Figure 2.

In meeting the above outlined objects, as well others incidental thereto, I have provided a thimble shaped spray nozzle IS (Figures 1 and 2) with a cylindrically shaped body portion II having a substantially closed end I2, said end I2 having an orifice I3 extending therethrough. A cylindrically shaped boss It is disposed within said body portion II integral with said end I2 and coaxial with said orifice I3. A liquid dispensing tube I 5 is positioned within the cylindrical boss It in communication with said orifice l3. An air space is provided between the inner wall of the boss I4 and said tube I5, which also communicates with said orifice I3, and means are provided within the boss IE; to constrict the opening in said tube I5 when said tube is positioned within the boss It in communication with said orifice I3.

For the purpose of convenience, and without intending any limitations, the terms inwardly and outwardly" used herein shall have reference to the geometric center of the nozzle I0 and parts thereof. The terms upper and lower shall :be used in referring to the parts of the invention positioned, respectively, toward the upper and lower ends of the container 38 as shown in Figure 1.

The outer cylindrical body portion II (Figure 2) has a central, substantially cylindrical chamber I6 closed at the upper axial end thereof by the wall I2. The inside wall H of the chamber I 6 is slightly tapered such as by 1 degree, so that it converges from the lower end thereof toward the wall I2. The outside surface I8 of the cylindrical portion II is preferably tapered inwardly from its upper end to its lower end, also at an angle of about 1 degree. A plurality of vertically disposed reinforcing members I9, I9a and I9b are positioned at equal intervals, as shown in Figure 3, along the inside wall I? of the cylindrical body portion II and are integral therewith; The reinforcing members I9, Illa and I927, which are partially cylindrical in shape and parallel to the central axis of the cylindrical body portion II, are not essential to this invention and may, under some circumstances, be omitted.

The end Wall I2 has a flange 2t integral therewith and extending radially outwardly from said cylindrical portion II. The orifice I3, which extends through the center of said end wall I2, is coaxial with the central chamber I6 of the body portion II, and its inner wall 2| may be either cylindrical or slightly tapered, as required, with no appreciable variation in effect upon the performance of the nozzle. An annular ridge 23, integral with. and 5 extending upwardly from; the; upper surface 24 of the-end wall I2, is coaxial therewith and disposed intermediate the outer circumference of said end wall I2 and said orifice I3.

The cylinder boss I4, which is disposed within the central chamber I6 and spaced radiallyviing;

wardly from the inside wall I1 of. said c ylind rical t body portion II, is integral with and extends downwardly from the end wall I2, and..has:'a,,

substantially cylindrical opening 2-6 extending vertically therethrough. The centralopeningjfi ing' a radially inward straight edge or wall 25,

is disposedwithin the upper end of said opening Zfi'irit'gra'l' with both the end wall I2 and a portion of the inner-wall 28 of the inner cylindricalfbo'ss I4. .This's'erni-circular'boss extends frbnr the sidewall 28 .towardthe I orifice I 3 so thati'ts straight edge 25 .is substantially tangent to the sidewall of'said orifice. I I The s'emiecircular'boss ZLextends downwardly; from'the endl'wall. I2 a very small distance. In onefpreferred. illustrative embodiment fora nozzle halving approximately a inch overall diametensaid .di'stanc'eis 0.013 inch..

The'semi-cylindrical guide rib 29 which is integral with. the. iImer} wall 28 of the cylindrical boss' is positioned opposite said semi-circular 4 half of the opening 35 in the fluid tube I5. The uncovered portion of said opening 35 communicates with the orifice I3 past the edge 25 of the semi-circular boss 21.

Although the relative sizes and positions of the guide ribs 29, 28a and 29b will be substantially as described herein, their exact sizes and positions will be dependent upon the inside and outside diameter of the tube; I5, the size of the orifice I3, and the size or the semi-circular boss 21 The critical function of said guide ribs is to-position said fluid tube I5 so that the semicircular boss 21 will partially constrict the openmg 35,]where it communicates with said orifice I3, -wh en the upper end of the tube I5 is hearing against the boss.21. The rib 29 has the additional function of spacing the tube I5 away from the sidewall 28 of the central opening 26 so that air passages. 22 (Figure 3) are formed on either side of the rib 29, from the chamber I6 to the fice 1.

It. -is;- to, be understood that the exact size-(of! theorifice I3 and the tube I5 can be ,varied -,to achieve the best -r esu lts in dispensing different liquids, dependingupon their. vapor pressure-and viscosity; In one :particular preferred embodi ment of the nozzle III, the following dimensions have been ;found-,satisfacto ry-: acentral chambossjflf audits central axis isv in aplane perpendicularly bisecfting said straight edge 25 of they pass. 21 .(FigureB). .The rib 2 9; preferably extends lthe .full length-cf the central opening 26 and is of such thickness, approximately A of the diameter of saidopeningZB, that its inner.-

most'edge 30 isspaced only {slightly outwardly frohrlthe wall 2 I 'ofsaid orifice lt. In said illustrative embodiment, this spacing 9.006 inch.

their. Tot. sfex'rihcylindrical guide ribs 29 and 2 9b, which areof considerably less thickness" than. saidifgu'ide rib29, areinteg'ral with the inner wall 2810f the cylindrical boss' 14. --Said Qg uide,

ribs'29a and 2911 are preferably positioned'equidistant from saidguide rib .29, and. from each other, and prefe'rably extend the ,iullflen gth ,of i said opening 26. Said threeribs are .so positioned withrespect to ..,each.' otherhthat their inward extremities locate "a theoretical. circle eccentric to thforifice .I, 3 and in .this rparticular; embodime'nt th'ey are so positionedfthatsaid wall 2. 5 coincides with .a diameter of, said theoreti le. circlel Q The. exact size of the guide. ribs 29, 29c.

and'26b and theirlpositions will be described in moredetail hereinafter.

AQcylindrical, 'fiuid tube I5. (ea-1a "2' as 3 which; has an. outsid e diameterapproximately equalflto the distance-between the; inner edge 30o} ftheguid'rib' 2'9 and the diametrically opposite portion 'of the.ivall.28,has one endthereof i:

tube 1 is disposed u ly i @id56 9 circular boss 21, which covers approximately one (said opening 26 a distance of 029-inch and guide ribs 2 9 and 29a extending into said opening 26 a distance of .016 inch.

operation Prior :to operation. container 3 8 (Figure l) is partially .filled with liquid to .be dispensed-and the nozzle I0, havingathe tube. I5 positioned ln the. opening-:26 therein is inserted inthe-mouth of the:bottle,-.the..tube I5 being immersed in the liquid. TheflangeaZfl: on. vtheend wall, I2rests against thexlipB-B.of-.the:.container mouth; and combines with-the outsidesurface l8 ofthe-nozzle I O-toproyide a seal between said nozzle and said container, 1 In use, the'liquid is dispensed from the =con-- tainer by, merely squeezing .the'isidewalls 40, whereupon said liquid is forced through the orl-- fice I 3,.in; a finely divided spray. --.The action whieh prpduces-this spray will now be describedu Compression ofgthe sidewalls of the. container-l8 compresses the ai-ra-irr.therchamber 4I between-'- the'liquid level and the spray nozzle.- -This:compressed; ;air- -urges:the liquidtinithebottle downwardly-and then upwardly .throughthetube: I5." I At the same time, the compressed air. in :thechamber; 4 I escapes upwardly through. thepassages-12 m the. opening I6 between .the tube I 5 a and-the valln adjacent to theri'bi29. Sincethe I passages ZZcommunicate with the orifice'I3, the

compressed air rushes-mast the opening in the within said opening in. the tube .15, according; t

the well known Venturi principle. This sudden reduction in air pressure, combined with the constriction of the opening 35 in the tube I5 by the boss 2?, effects a sudden expansion and atomization of the liquid just before it passes through the orifice iii.

The constriction to the flow of the liquid through the opening 35 of the tube l5 increases the velocity of the liquid flow and thereby assists in its atomization. The finely divided particles of liquid mix with the air rushing through the passages 22, to produce a finely divided spray. The spray is further divided by turbulence in the orifice i3, and by expansion as said spray escapes from said orifice.

When the air pressure in the container returns to normal, the liquid and air will cease flowing from the orifice it. However, when the pressure on the sidewalls All of the container 38 is released, said walls will return to their normal positions. This produces a vacuum within the container whereby a fresh supply of air is drawn into the container through the orifice i3 and the passages 22 along the same paths through which the preceding charge was removed. At this point the container is ready for dispensing another charge of liquid.

It will be reco nized that, although the above description is directed to a structure involving a vertical spray, the nozzle it may be inserted into a container having an appropriate opening in a sidewall thereof. Further, with only slight modification of the outer body portion I! and no change in the remainder of the nozzle it, said nozzle can be adapted for directing spray sidewardly from a conventional, vertical container.

Although the above mentioned drawing and description apply to one particular preferred embodiment of this invention, it is not my intention implied or cth :wise, to eliminate other variations or modifications which do not depart from the scope of the invention unless specifically stated to the contrary in the hereinafter appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a spray nozzle, the combination comprising: a body member formed externally to engage a bottle mouth, said body member having a tube receiving central opening extending into one axial end thereof and an end member closing the opposite axial end thereof and having an orifice through said end men ber communicating with said tube opening; a semi-circular boss disposed at the bottom of said central opening adjacent to said orifice, integral both with one sidewall of said central opening and with said end member, partially defined by a plane substantially tangent to the edge of said orifice; a tube disposed within said central opening, having a diameter less than the inside diameter of said central ope g; a plurality of spaced guide ribs dispose-dw' sai central opening integral with the sidewalls thereof and extending radially inwardly for positioning said tube wi h a part of its end snugly against said semi-circular boss for covering a part of the opening in said tube and with the uncovered portion of said opening communicating with said orifice.

2. In a spray nozzle head for association with a flexible bottle, the combination comprising: a body member formed externally to engage the mouth of said bottle, said body member being hollow and being open one end and having an end member closing its other end; means defining an orifice in said end member; a cylindrical boss extending from said end member and positioned coaxially with said orifice, said boss being hollow and having a plurality of ribs extending inwardly from its inner wall, the respective inner extremities of said ribs locating a theoretical circle eccentric to said orifice; a semi-circular boss extending from said end member within said cylindrical boss and being partially defined by a wall tangent to the said orifice and constituting a diameter of said theoretical circle; whereby a tube received within said cylindrical boss may be positioned by said ribs co-axially with said theoretical circle and will be spaced from the adjacent end of said orifice a distance determined by the thickness of said semi-circular boss.

3. The device defined in claim 2 wherein two of said ribs are adjacent the ends of the wall defining the straight side of said semi-circular boss and the third rib is larger than said first two named ribs, lies in a plane perpendicularly bisecting said wall and is positioned on the other side of said orifice from it.

HERBERT S. RUEKBERG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 575,571 France Apr. 24, 1924 

